Decoding Puppy Behaviour Understand What Your Pet Is Telling You

If you are a new pet parent and have just added a cute puppy to your family, you must be wondering what your little furry buddy is trying to convey when they bark incessantly or tilt their head or keep walking in circles. Your canine could be happy, afraid, anxious, or may just want a pee break. Just like human kids, puppies also communicate what they feel by their gestures. Decoding puppy behaviour helps you understand your furball better.

Here is How you can Interpret your pup’s Actions and Help them out Where Needed:

1. Know the sound

There is a difference between barking and growling. Your pup’s continuous barking in the wee hours can be because of the threat they are sensing from the presence of a stranger, check out for the reason and reassure them with a gentle pat that everything is fine. Your furry pal may also bark repeatedly if they are stressed or to grab your attention, help them relax in case of stress but do not entertain the attention-seeking practice. Growling, again, can be for different reasons. A loud growl with clenched teeth displays your pet’s anger, and you should try to cool them down by maybe distracting them with a treat like the one from Dr.Claude or Probono. On the other hand, a soft throaty growling sound while playing expresses your fur buddy’s joy.

2. What’s with the tail?

If you notice your four-legged friend’s tail wagging, go outside and play with them to contribute to their happiness. It indicates that they are ready for a positive interaction. A tucked-down tail instead indicates that they are afraid or worried, stay with them and reassure them that they are safe. Anticipate an attack if you find your pooch’s tail straight and held high as this indicates that they are alert and are concentrating on a fight, train them with a simple ‘no’ or ‘stop’ command to control this behavior. A completely relaxed pet will have their tail in a neutral position.

3. Those little eyes!

When you can’t see the whites of your furry buddy’s eyes and find their pupils small, it means that they are relaxed and feeling comfortable. When you find your pup staring hard with a tense face, it means that they are targeting to bite or take a fight. The important thing is not to stare back at them in this situation as they can consider it as a threat. Your furry buddy’s eyes will look wide with big pupils and visible whites if they are scared or anxious. In such a situation, appease them with a warm cuddle. 

4. The head position

A pup with a lowered head or with their head tilted to the side is sending a message for peace; they are not ready to take a fight from their aggressive counterpart. Contrary to that, if your pooch looks rigid and stiff holding their head high, they are on alert and are feeling threatened by their surroundings. Make sure that you remove the threat and comfort your beloved puppy instantly.

5. The body posture

The hair around your little furball’s shoulders and spine sticks up when they are either excited or scared. The overall body posture will be relaxed if the reason for the raised hackles is excitement. Otherwise, calm and comfort your buddy so that they feel safe. When you see a play bow, the posture of your pooch with stretched front legs and body leaned on elbows, they are inviting you to play and want to have fun. Obligate to their cute demand by taking them outdoors for a fun game. A cowering position where your canine is hunching towards the ground shows that they are stressed or feeling scared of something or someone. Eliminate the cause of their fear immediately and try to calm them with a stress reliever like Ecovet’s Eco-Fear. A pup rolling on their back showing their belly with a loose posture is relaxed and is asking you for a good belly rub.

6. Understand the movements

When your four-legged friend sees you, they spin fast in circles to show their delight and happiness. Whereas, their pacing back and forth can mean that they need a potty break. But if the pacing continues for more than usual period, it could be because your pup is anxious or is facing some physical problem. This requires an immediate visit to your veterinarian.

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To sum up

Just like human kids, puppies are also new to the world. They communicate with their human companion by their body language and behavior. By being vigilant about the signs, we can do all that is necessary to add to our furry family member’s comfort, health, and happiness.